The Lady In the Corner
by CharmedRumbelle
Summary: S1 AU of how Rumpelstiltskin first encountered Belle in Storybrooke - as a mannequin in his shop. One shot inspired by a photo of Robert Carlyle holding what looks to be a mannequin head. Blame Tumblr for this one.


_This is a one-shot that was inspired by a picture that has been circulating social media of Robert Carlyle in the "It's Posh" store holding what looks like a brunette mannequin head. Somehow this got very angsty. I have no idea how that happened._

_I do not own 'Once Upon a Time.'_

Mr. Gold entered his shop that evening after his usual round of rent collecting. He was still overcome with shock from all that had happened. Her name was Emma Swan. When she introduced herself, all of the memories came flooding back to him. For twenty-eight years he had been living under the same curse as everyone else in town. Now, due to the fail safe he had in place, he remembered.

He made his way into the back room of the shop and turned on the light, then turned to look at her. She stood in the corner of the room, a blue dress covering her petite figure. In his cursed form, he didn't think much of the mannequin. It was no different than any of the other objects in his shop. He kept it in the back room, tucked away in a far corner hidden from view to those in the main area of the store, as he had no purpose for it to be out in the main area of the store. He dusted it like any other object in his shop. He couldn't even recall where he obtained it or why he possessed it in the first place; it had just been there for as long as he could remember.

But this particular object was not an object at all. Gold walked over to the mannequin and touched its face gently. "Belle." he whispered. "I'm sorry." He couldn't think of anything else to say; no words would suffice what had happened to her. He didn't even know what exactly it was that had happened to her, nor did he know if there was any way for him to undo what had been done. Whatever had happened to her, he knew only one thing: Regina was to blame for it. He would deal with her once the savior broke the curse, and whatever fate she had made Belle suffer would be a blessing in comparison to what Regina would endure from him, of that he was quite certain.

* * *

><p><em>Twenty eight years ago . . . . . . <em>

_Regina entered the room in her castle that held Belle prisoner. She was almost impressed with the young girl, who despite her lengthy imprisonment, remained determined and unafraid. _

"_What do you want?" Belle asked._

"_Put this on, dear." Regina said as she waved her hand and conjured up a blue dress identical to the one Belle was wearing when the two of them first met. _

"_Why?" Belle asked._

"_I don't really think you're in any position to ask that." Regina said. "You can get dressed willingly – or by force. I'm giving you the option. I'll even turn around." Regina waved her hand and undid the chain that kept Belle imprisoned, then turned her back to her. "Don't bother to run – you won't get far." Belle reluctantly complied and changed into the dress. _

"_What is this for?" Belle asked. Regina turned around._

"_We're going on a little trip, dear. And you need to be dressed just right for your adventure." Regina said._

"_Where are you taking me?" Belle asked._

"_Oh, it's not just you. Your precious Rumpelstiltskin will be there, too. And I'm actually going to let you be with him." Regina said. _

"_Why?" Belle asked suspiciously. Regina laughed a bit._

"_Why not?" Regina said. "There is a catch, though. We're going to see if that little imp loves you as much as you think he does. It's the only way he'll be able to save you."_

"_He does love me! And I love him!" Belle shouted at her. _

"_Well – then it shouldn't be a problem." Regina said. "If he loves you – he can have you. Far be it from me to stand in the path of 'true love'." Regina waved her hand, and Belle was immediately frozen into the form of a statue. "Can't wait to see what he does about you." Regina said as she looked Belle up and down and smirked to herself._

* * *

><p>Several months had passed since Emma Swan arrived in Storybrooke. Despite every obstacle that Regina attempted to set in his way, Gold's plan was going rather well. It was only a matter of time before the savior believed – and then the curse would be broken. Regina was aware at this point that he had awakened from the curse, and he was certain that she knew of the lady in the back corner of his shop who was stilled through these cursed years. If Belle was alive, once the curse was broken, she would return to her living state, and all he could do was hope that she would forgive him. And if she didn't – he would know that he had truly lost her forever.<p>

Either way – Regina was going to pay dearly for what she had done.

Duping Emma Swan into retrieving his precious vial that Charming had placed in the belly of the beast was not difficult; the girl simply wanted her son back, and was willing to trust anyone to make that happen. Even him. While he felt badly for the young lad, Henry was not his main concern at the moment. He just wanted to find his son. If, by some miracle, Belle was there with him for that journey, then all the better.

Gold returned to his shop after he dropped the contents of the vial into the well. He had done it. He had brought magic to Storybrooke. He had locked the mannequin in the back room of his shop while away; he would have preferred to take her with him, but it would have been quite difficult to trek out into the woods while dragging along what appeared to be a lifeless statue. The entire way back to his shop, he wondered what he would return to. Would Belle have awakened? What kind of state would she be in? Would there be any change in her state at all?

He slowly opened the door to the back room, and his heart sank. She still stood there, unmoving – the beautiful lady in the corner where she had resided for over twenty eight years. Gold approached her slowly.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart." he whispered. "I thought you'd come back to me." Gold touched her cheek and fought back tears, as he had done almost every night since he awoke from the curse.

Resigning himself to the fact that he had truly lost her, Gold knew that there was nothing more for him to do but leave. But not before he made Regina pay for this. "I have to go, Belle." Gold said to the mannequin, as if she could actually hear him. "I have to find my son. I wanted you to come with me – but that's not going to happen, is it? I promise you – Regina will pay for this. She will pay dearly." Gold turned to walk away, then turned to look at her again.

He recalled that day in the Dark Castle – the day that he banished her for almost breaking his curse. He didn't trust her. He thought she had some sort of ulterior motive, or that she had aligned herself with Regina.

He was a damned fool. And she was right about him. He didn't think anyone could love him.

It wouldn't hurt to give her one last kiss, he thought to himself. No one was watching. He'd best do so quickly if he was going to act on such a ridiculous notion. The people of the town were likely on their way to his shop with torches and pitchforks, once that had paid her majesty a visit. Perhaps they would take the queen down themselves, which would be just fine with him – one less problem for him to worry about.

Gold nervously moved close to her, trembling as he did so. He closed his eyes and let his lips touch the stoic figure, and he gave her a tender kiss on the lips. The moment he pulled away, he felt a strange sensation come over him, and for a moment he felt a bit light-headed. He looked up at the still figure – which was no longer still. Her eyes blinked and she gasped for breath.

"Belle?" Gold whispered, stunned at what he was witnessing.

"Rumpelstiltskin." Belle replied in a weak voice. Her legs gave out from underneath her and she began to fall. Gold grabbed her and dropped to the floor while carefully holding Belle in his arms.

"You're real. You're alive." Gold said, and he hugged her tightly.

"Where are we?" Belle asked.

"A town called Storybrooke." Gold replied. "What did Regina do to you, Belle?"

"She abducted me. She locked me away and then she – she said that I would be with you, but only if you saved me. And you did. I knew you would." Belle said.

"I – I didn't do anything." Gold said.

"Yes you did. True love's kiss." Belle told him. Gold thought about it for a moment. No wonder he felt strange after he kissed her. It was his curse – leaving him. Gold began to fume in anger.

"This was her doing. This was what she was hoping for. All this time she's been using you to toy with me, to get me to break my curse!" Gold shouted furiously. Belle looked up at him, sadness filling her eyes.

"You love me, you wouldn't have been able to save me if you didn't!" Belle insisted.

"But I can't protect you! How am I supposed to protect you without magic?" Gold asked.

"True love is the most powerful magic of all. We'll protect each other." Belle said. "We can go back to our land."

"No. We can't. Not without my son." Gold said. "He's in this world – and I have to find him. I'm not going to let Regina or anyone else stop me from finding him."

"You promised you'd tell me about him." Belle said.

"I'll do better than that. I'll take you to him. You can help me find him." Gold said. "Come on – we need to find something else for you to wear, you've been in that dress for twenty eight years. Are you alright?"

"I feel a little stiff." Belle said.

"Well, you've been in the same position all this time, that's not surprising. You can come home with me. I'll take care of you." Gold said.

"We'll take care of each other." Belle said. Gold grabbed his cane and stood up, then helped Belle to her feet. "Just promise me that you won't go after Regina. I know that you can be a better man than that."

"Oh, sweetheart. I promise." Gold pulled her into a long, deep kiss, then held her in his arms for several minutes afterward.

There were plenty of other ways to enact revenge without personally doing the deed, he thought to himself.


End file.
